1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates primarily to flashlights, and in particular, to a miniature, single cell, hand held flashlight.
2. Discussion Of The Prior Art
Flashlights of varying sizes and shapes are well known in the art. In particular, certain of such known flashlight utilize one or more dry cell batteries, carried in a cylindrical tube serving as a handle for the flashlight, as their source of electrical energy. Typically, an electrical circuit is established from one electrode of the battery through a conductor to a switch, then through a conductor to one electrode of the lamp bulb. After passing through the filament of the lamp bulb, the electrical circuit emerges through a second electrode of the lamp bulb in electrical contact with a conductor, which in turn is in electrical contact with the flashlight housing. The flashlight housing provides an electrical conduction path to an electrical conductor, generally a spring element, in contact with the other electrode of the battery. Actuation of the switch to complete the electrical circuit enables electrical current to pass through the filament, thereby generating light which is typically focused by a reflector to form a beam of light.
The production of light from such flashlights has often been degraded by the quality of the reflector and lamp utilized, the optical characteristics of any lens interposed in the beam path, and problems associated with contamination in, on or damage to the lamp, lens and reflector.